I am a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) baby. My diaphragm developed with a hole in it and my organs were misplaced in my chest cavity. The organs pushed on my lungs, causing one lung to be very small. I was born on October 9, 2007 at Johns Hopkins. Now it is three years later: I am saying a bunch of words, I still receive foods through a g-tube and am on oxygen while I sleep. I can't walk yet, but believe I can out scoot anyone! Here is the story of my amazing and patient recovery.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

ECMO Holiday Reunion

We were honored to be invited to the ECMO Holiday Reunion this year. Only 40 kids this past year were on ECMO at Hopkins, so we feel privileged to be part of this "elite" group! We thought we found the "party room" but we went to the wrong place. Benji laughed and thought I had the wrong date and we were about to turn around to go home. Who shows up??? Dr. Berkowitz! He saved the day for the second time! He thought it was in the location where we were waiting. We both laughed and since he has connections, he made a phone call and he led us in the right direction! On our way, we bumped into Dr. Abudallah, who came to the party just to see Jack and Wyatt, and we bumped into Wyatt's buddy Jack. It was a great reunion, especially to see all the important people that played a part into saving Wyatt's life. First, Dr. Berkowitz was the doctor who treated Wyatt first in the PICU, put him on ECMO, administered CPR when he went into cardiac arrest, and followed him through his entire ECMO journey... even when he was no longer the attending physician. Dr. Abdullah and Dr. Chandler (who is now in Florida and we miss her very much!!)repaired Wyatt's hernia and stayed up with him all night after surgery, soaking up blood, putting in a chest tube at his bedside, and quickly thinking to give him Factor 7 to stop all the bleeding. We owe it to these doctors for making the quick, intelligent, and often risky decisions to save his life. We also have to give Dr. Fackler a big thanks for helping Wyatt get off ECMO. We also saw our good friends Vicki, James, and their two kids- Jack and his sister Anika (who is super cute!). I owe it to Vicki for being my mentor through this journey. Jack is doing wonderful and is running around everywhere:)) Maybe he will rub off on Wyatt:))hint, hint... We also met a nice family whose son is currently in the NICU because of CDH. After four long months, he is being discharged tomorrow. I am sure next year, we will get to meet him at the party! Click here to read about the party of 2008.

The hottest invite in town.... 40 people this year were on ECMO and about 50 percent survive...Some of our favorite docs... Dr. A and Dr. BWyatt with his buddy Jack and the doctor that saved their lives.- Dr. AWyatt with his present from SantaSanta came to visit! and he brought all the kids presents!! (my kids did not want to sit on his lap)Jack and WyattChloe was a good sport even though so much attention went to Wyatt during the party.

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Wyatt at 3 Years Old

Wyatt at 4 months old

Blog Archive

Hurdles that I faced and achieved!

After birth, I was placed on ECMO at Johns Hopkins Hospital for 13 days. On day 13, I had a surgery to repair my hernia and was removed from ECMO, but my organs would not fit in my abdomen. I had a silo for a week and then surgery to place the organs back in the abdomen. Then, part of my intestines re-herniated into my chest cavity two months later and I had another surgery to repair that. After my first surgery, I experienced an intraventricular hemorrhage in my brain and at four months old I received a VP shunt. After I was extubated, I learned that I have right vocal cord paralysis. Then I had g-tube surgery and after I finally got to go home after 5 longs months at Johns Hopkins and Mt. Washington Hospital! Only for a few weeks, though. In mid-April my intestines reherniated again and sent me into surgery. I came home, and had a long run before my THIRD reherniation in the beginning of September on Labor Day weekend in 2008. Then I was hospitalized for twice during the winter 2009 for two respiratory infections. Well, I almost lasted a year until my next surgery! Just this past June, in 2009, I had surgery to wrap my stomach around the esophagus, a nissen. This has helped with my reflux and my hiatal hernia. I will be 2 in October, I love scooting around but refuse to stand up and walk. I am a little miracle and thank God, my doctors, my nurses, family, and friends for my strength, my fight and a happy life.